Pistachio cranberry rocky road - this easy vegan rocky road is made with pistachios and dried cranberries instead of marshmallows, giving it a grown-up, more sophisticated flavour.
It is rich, chocolatey and very moreish; and is no-bake and really quick and simple to make too!
Rocky road has to be one of the simplest, yet most satisfying treats to make. If you can melt chocolate then you can make rocky road, it's that easy.
It is ideal as an afternoon pick-me-up, an after dinner sweet treat, a Christmas gift or as part of a bake sale. Everyone is bound to love it!
What Is Rocky Road?:
Rocky road is a no-bake refrigerator cake, similar to tiffin, which is made with chocolate, marshmallows and some other ingredients which vary by country.
In the UK, marshmallows, biscuits and dried fruit is the most common combination.
I've opted to leave out the marshmallows for this version, replacing them with pistachios. It is also obviously vegan friendly; just a couple of simple swaps are required, the original recipe is very easy to veganise.
What Do I Need To Make Pistachio Cranberry Rocky Road?:
Chocolate: I prefer to use all dark chocolate for a richer, less sweet flavour. You can use 50/50 dark and milk chocolate instead if you want.
Make sure that you use a good quality chocolate that you like the taste of.
Butter: A vegan block butter such as Naturli vegan block or Flora plant butter is best to help the rocky road set firmly. Coconut oil would probably work instead but I don't think that the flavour would be as good.
Golden syrup: This provides just a bit of sweetness. You could use agave or maple syrup instead if you prefer.
Biscuits: You need some sort of (crisp, not chewy) biscuits (cookies) to provide the main bulk and texture of the rocky road. Rich Tea are my favourite, but Digestives (Graham crackers), Biscoff, gingersnaps or Hobnobs all work well; you could even use Oreos. Just check the packet to make sure that they are vegan friendly.
Pistachios: Shelled roasted pistachios are my nut of choice here but you can swap them for any kind of nut you like; hazelnuts would be great.
Alternatively, go the traditional route and use vegan marshmallows instead. Either chopped up big ones or mini marshmallows will work.
Dried cranberries: I like to use cranberries as they provide a bit of sharpness. Chop them into halves if they are whole ones. You can swap them for any other kind of dried fruit.
How To Make Pistachio Cranberry Rocky Road:
(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)
Break the biscuits into rough pieces. Roughly chop the pistachios and cut the dried cranberries in half if they are whole ones.
Mix the pistachios, cranberries and biscuits together in a large bowl.
Place the chopped chocolate, butter and syrup in a pan over a very low heat.
Stir constantly until the chocolate has almost all melted then remove from the heat and continue to stir until it is fully melted.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until everything is fully coated.
Tip the mixture into a lined 20cm square tin, spread it out evenly and pack it down firmly.
Refrigerate until set then slice into bars or squares.
Top Tips:
When melting the chocolate, keep the temperature of the hob really low otherwise the chocolate can burn or split. Keep a close eye on it, stir almost constantly and remove the pan from the heat just before the chocolate is fully melted.
You can also melt the chocolate mixture either in short bursts in the microwave, or over a bain-marie if that is your preferred method. Whichever way you do it, make sure that it doesn't get too hot, and you don't get any water in it, otherwise it may split
You can vary the mix-ins to suit you, just make sure that you stick to the same overall weight.
Drizzle the top of the rocky road with some melted vegan white chocolate to make it prettier.
The rocky road takes a while to fully set, at least 4-6 hours, so I like to make it the day before I want to serve it.
To make it easier to slice, heat a knife with hot water then dry it before slicing .
How To Store Pistachio Cranberry Rocky Road:
The rocky road will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks, depending on what mix-in's you use.
Can I Freeze It?:
Yes rocky road freezes really well. Freeze in an airtight container with layers of baking parchment between each layer. Store for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost in the fridge before eating.
Can I Make It Gluten-Free?:
Yes absolutely, you simply need to use gluten-free biscuits (cookies), whichever kind you like best.
More Vegan Treats:
- Vegan jaffa cakes
- Vegan cherry bakewells
- Vegan fruit and nut flapjacks
- Vegan oatmeal cookie bars
- Vegan Nussecken
- Vegan rock cakes
- Berry crumble bars
If you tried this recipe let me know how it went! Rate it, leave a comment or tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess
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Pistachio Cranberry Rocky Road
Ingredients
- 150 g (5 oz) rich tea or digestive biscuits
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) shelled roasted pistachios
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) dried cranberries
- 300 g (10 ½ oz) dark chocolate finely chopped
- 115 g (½ cup) vegan block butter (I use Naturli Vegan Block) cubed
- 75 g (3 Tablespoons) golden syrup
Instructions
- Line a 20 cm/8 in square cake tin with baking parchment.
- Break the biscuits into rough pieces, some small, some about 2-3cm. You can do this by hand or by putting them in a freezer bag and bashing them with a rolling pin.
- Roughly chop the pistachios and cut the dried cranberries in half if they are whole ones. Mix the pistachios, cranberries and biscuits together in a large bowl.
- Place the chopped chocolate, butter and syrup in a pan over a very low heat.
- Stir constantly until the chocolate has almost all melted then remove from the heat and continue to stir until it is fully melted.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until everything is fully coated.
- Tip the mixture into the lined tin, use a spatula to spread it out evenly and pack it down firmly.
- Refrigerate until set, preferably overnight, then slice into bars or squares with a sharp, hot knife.
Notes
- See post above for tips, details, substitutions, storage instructions and step-by-step photos.
- When melting the chocolate, keep the temperature of the hob really low otherwise the chocolate can burn or split. Keep a close eye on it, stir almost constantly and remove the pan from the heat just before the chocolate is fully melted.
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